1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus that supplies sheets to an image forming apparatus and an image forming apparatus that includes the sheet feeding apparatus.
2) Description of the Related Art
Some of image forming apparatuses, which include a sheet feeding apparatus that feeds sheets one by one from a sheet feeding tray, are front loading machines in which the sheet feeding tray is arranged in such a manner that a direction to which the sheets are conveyed and a direction to which the sheet feeding tray is drawn out are substantially orthogonal. In most of such image forming apparatuses, when a jam occurs, a guide plate in a conveying direction is opened to remove a jammed sheet. Such a technology is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H6-183579.
However, actually, a user often draws out the sheet feeding tray without performing such a process to deal with the jam. In this case, the jammed sheet is torn while remaining astride the sheet feeding tray and the sheet feeding apparatus. As a result, serious damages can be caused, for example, leaving a piece of the jammed sheet torn inside the sheet feeding apparatus.
In addition, in a conventional technology, the image forming apparatuses includes an arrangement in which separating members, such as a separating roller and a friction pad, are automatically separated from a sheet when a jam occurs. Moreover, in another conventional technology, the image forming apparatus includes an arrangement in which separating members are separated from a sheet in association with attachment and detachment of a sheet feeding tray for a purpose of reducing a manufacturing cost. Both arrangements in the conventional technologies are for drawing out the sheet feeding tray smoothly by eliminating a load on the jammed sheet when a user draws out the sheet feeding tray.
However, in actual fact, there are various patterns of jams. The various patterns of jams include jams in which almost an entire sheet remains in the sheet feeding tray, in which, conversely, most of a sheet has entered the sheet feeding apparatus, and in which a sheet is buckled inside the sheet feeding apparatus.
In any of the patterns of jams, when the sheet feeding tray is drawn out suddenly, the damages described above are often caused, and is one of major factor of requirement of service maintenance.